Voices of Success

A Portrait of Successby Claire Robinson, Case Manager

Name: Mr. & Mrs. Albert (Jessica) Martin

Center: Bryan Count Community Service

“It takes team work to make the dream work.”

When Jessica Martin came into the office of Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority, Inc. March of 2015 to apply for Energy Assistance (crisis), she was not aware of the changes that would begin to occur for her family. During the application process of applying for energy assistance the client shared some of her dreams and concerns for her family and wanting a stable place for them to live. The Case Manager discussed the various services provided by Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority that were available to the client and her family.The Martins have overcome major challenges. There are 13 in this nuclear family. Nine of the children live with the parents. The parents are devoted to their family and children and wanting them to have better opportunities. The major hurdle for this family was finding a place large enough to house the entire family and obtaining stable employment for Albert and Jessica due to lack of transportation. Albert located a fixer upper that he could perform minor repairs on. Through an effective partnership with Bryan County Family Promise the family was able to obtain furnishings for the home. These items were all donated from private citizens and churches in the Richmond Hill area. Albert has obtained steady employment with a local moving company.The family is excited about their future and even though there is a lot of work that remains to be done, they are grateful for the agency, its partnerships and what has been done for the family. “It takes team work to make the dream work.”